Cartridge link and feedwheel for disintegrating belts



1953 c. E. SIMPSON 2,648,258

CARTRIDGE LINK AND FEEDWHEEL FDR DISINTEGRATING BELTS Filed June 21, 1948 /0 ElurenceE- Sin-112.5511

Patented Aug. ll,

s'rE

CARTRIDGE LINK AND FEEDWHEEL FOR DISINTEGRATING BELTS Clarence E. Simpson, Springfield, Mass, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application June 21, 1948, Serial N 0. 34,232

(Granted under Title 35, U. s. Code (1952),

sec. 266) 12 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an improved cartridge link and feedwheel for disintegrating cartridge belts for automatic firearms wherein the cartridge is pushed out of the belt.

In automatic firearms which utilize an action designed to push a cartridge out of a belt, an open type link is generally employed in order to permit the operating member of the firearm to pass through the link and chamber the cartridge. Prior art links for the most part have a common fault in that the link is not properly held as the operating member of the firearm pushes the cartridge out of the link.

This is particularly true when the firearm util nes a feeding wheel to move the belt through the feedway. In a firearm of this type the cartridge generally is not aligned with the 'aXis of the bore and hence must be fed angularly into the chamber. Therefore if the link is not positively secured or held as the cartridge is tipped to enter the chamber feeding jams will be inevitable.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an improved cartridge link for disintegrating cartridge belts for use with firearms utilizing a mechanism which pushes the cartridge out of the belt.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved push through type cartridge link for automatic firearms utilizing a feedwheel for advancing the cartridge belt wherein the link is positively positioned and held.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

F g. 1 is an enlarged top view of the cartridge link of this invention.

2 is a left end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 5.

Fig. l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of a firearm having a feedwheel for advancement of the cartridge belt which utilizes a cartridge link of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary end view of a cartridge feedwheel showing the position of the cartridge link in such feedwheel.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view showing the detent of the tab on the cartridge link engaging the extractor groove of a cartridge.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 'l of Fig- 4.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a fragmentary view of a firearm having a preferred type of cartridge feeding mechanism for use with a belt of cartridges comprised of links it constructed in accordance with this invention. Link it is preferably stamped from a blank and comprises a pair of spaced coaxial open rings ll and i2. A single open ring i3 is joined to rings H and I2 by a connecting offset web portion 14 formed as shown in Fig. 1. Ring [3 is disposed opposite to the space between rings Ii and i2.

7 This arrangement is well known and permits the ring l3 to fit between the spaced rings II and E2 of an adjacent link so that a cartridge may be inserted through the aligned links to pivotally connect the links. Thus a belt of any desired length may be readily assembled. The opening in rings H, l2 and I3, however, is disposed somewhat to the side, that is, such openings are angularly disposed upwardly and outwardly with respect to a vertical centerline through web portion M as shown in Fig. 2 in order to properly position the cartridges about a cylindrical feedwheel as will be later described. This is in contrast to the conventional link wherein the openings are straight up.

A rearwardly extending substantially T-shaped tab I5 is integrally formed with rin I2 and is disposed opposite to the opening in such ring. A detent I6 is provided near the end of tab l5 which engages an extractor groove ll of a cartridge I8 as shown in Fig. 6.

Link I0 is preferably used in belted form with a firearm of the type shown in Fig. 4 which utilizes a feedwheel [9 to advance the belt of cartridges into the feedway. Such firearm comprises essentially a receiver 20, a bolt 2i reciprocally mounted in such receiver for movement between a breeched battery position and a recoil position, and a barrel 22 coaxially aligned with the bolt. A feedway 23 is provided in receiver 2|) above bolt M to receive a belt'of cartridges.

Feedwheel I9 is rotatably mounted in a housing 24 secured to the top of receiver 20 above feedway 23 by a driving rod 25. A ratchet drive 26 is provided on rod 25 which is engageable with corresponding teeth in feedwheel I9 to rotate such feedwheel in synchronization with the barrel to feed the cartridge belt through feedway 23.

Feedwheel I9 is provided with a sprocket 21 and a sprocket 28 on the forward end and on the rear end respectively, the scallops between each of the sprocket teeth being of suitable shape to receive the cartridge H3. The forward face 29 of each tooth of sprocket 28 is sloped rearwardly as shown for a purpose to appear later. In the bottom of each scallop of sprocket 28 there is provided a longitudinally disposed slot 30 to receive a neck portion 3| of tab l5 provided on link I0. The bottom of slot 30 is sloped as shown at 35 for a purpose to be presently described.

In the instant case the cartridge must be deflected considerably as shown in Fig. 4 before the cartridge can enter the chamber in the barrel. In such figure it is readily apparent that a conventional link could not be properly supported.

When cartridges !8 contained in belt form by links are fed into feedway 23, a corresponding pair of scallops of sprocket 2! and 28 surround a cartridge l3 and as such feedwheel rotates, the sprockets move the belted cartridges through the feedway. In the preferred form of firearm shown, the belt of cartridges is fed into feedway 23 with the opening in the link rings facing downwardly or in other words with the belt feeding from the bottom of the feedwheel. It is desired to point out however that the belt may be fed from the top of the feedwheel under certain conditions or arrangement of the various elements that comprise the feeding mechanism. The side openings of the link rings permit the cartridges !8 to be properly positioned in the feedwheel. Neck portion 3! of tab l5 then fits within slot 39 while the cross member of such tab engages the rear face of sprocket 28. When bolt 2| is released, a vertically disposed lug 32 provided on top of the forward end of such bolt strikes the base of cartridge forcing such cartridge forwardly out of open link Hi, detent It being disengaged from the extractor groove of cartridge 18.

As cartridge l8 moves forwardly out of link 10 such cartridge strikes a downwardly sloped ramp 33 provided in receiver thus deflecting the cartridge downwardly into a chamber 34 of barrel 22. While this is taking place, tab l5 of link If] retains such link so that cartridge l8 can be pushed out of the link without moving such link longitudinally. Thus feeding jams and related malfunctions due to movement of the link in the feedway are substantially eliminated.

In most prior art firearms the cartridge link rests against a link stripper contained in the feedway, thus the cartridges in the belt are properly positioned in the feedway with respect to the firearm bolt. When utilizing a feedwheel such as disclosed herein, no link stripper can be employed to position the cartridge belt in the feedway hence tab l5 is utilized to hold the link while bolt 2| pushes the cartridge through such link. As the cartridge i8 is deflected by ramp 33, link I0 pivots about neck portion 3| of tab IS. The sloped forward face 29 of sprocket 28 permits the link to swing downwardly without interference from such face while the sloped bottom 35 of slot 30 allows deflection of the cartridge without appreciable displacement of the link.

While only a preferred application of the link herein described has been shown, such link may be readily adapted for use with any push-through type of firearm feed having a feedwheel and utilizing belted ammunition which is fed into a firearm barrel chamber at an angle to the horizontal wherein similar link positioning difliculties are encountered.

I claim:

1. In combination with a cartridge belt feed- I 8 thereby wheel having two spaced sprockets for receiving a cartridge having an extractor groove, a slot being provided between each of the teeth of the rearmost sprocket, a disintegrating cartridge belt link comprising a single open ring, a pair of rings comprising a coaxial open front and rear ring secured to and adjacent said single open ring, a substantially T-shaped tab on said rearmost coaxial ring pivotally engageable with said slot to longitudinally position said link relative to said feedwheel, and detent means on said tab engageable with the extractor groove of the cartridge whereby the cartridge is yieldingly positioned within said link.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the opening in said open rings is angularly offset with respect to the vertical axis of said rings whereby the cartridge in said link is aligned in said feedwheel sprockets.

3. In a feeding mechanism, the combination which comprises a feedwheel, said feedwheel being provided with a plurality of radially disposed teeth at the front and rear end thereof to receive cartridges, a slot being provided between each of said teeth on the rear end of said feedwheel, and a cartridge belt link comprising open rings adapted to hold a cartridge and a T-shaped tab on each end of said rings engageable with said slot whereby said link is held in position relative to said feedwheel.

a. In a feeding mechanism, the combination which comprises a rotatably mounted feedwheel, said feedwheel being provided with a plurality of radially disposed teeth at the front and rear end thereof to receive cartridges having an extractor groove, a slot being provided between each of said teeth on the rear end of said feedwheel and a disintegrating cartridge belt link comprising open front and rear rings for holding the cartridge, a T-shaped tab on said rear ring constructed and arranged to engage said slot for 1011- gitudinally positioning said link relative to said feedwheel, and detent means on said tab engageable with said extractor groove of the cartridge whereby the cartridge is yieldingly positioned within said link.

5. In a feeding mechanism, the combination which comprises a rotatably mounted feedwheel, said feedwheel being provided with a lurality of radially disposed teeth at the front and rear end thereof to receive cartridges having an extractor groove, a rearwardly downwardly inclined slot relative to the longitudinal axis being provided between each of said teeth on the rear end of said feedwheel, and a disintegrating cartridge belt link comprising a pair of spaced apart open rings coaxially aligned with a single open ring adjacent and attached thereto, a substantially T-shaped tab on said rearmost ring engageable with said slot to longitudinally position said link relative to said feedwheel, and detent means on said tab engageable with the extractor groove of the cartridge whereby the cartridge is yieldingly positioned within said link.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein the opening in said rings is angularly offset with respect to the vertical axis of said rings whereby the cartridge in said link is aligned in said feedwheel.

'7. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said T-shaped tab comprises a narrow neck portion engageable with said slot and a head portion having a forward surface extending from each side of said neck portion engageable with the rear surface of adjacent teeth relative to said slot whereby said link is held during the extraction a cartridge therefrom.

8. In a firearm having a receiver and a bolt reciprocably mounted therein, a feedwheel rotatably mounted in the receiver, said feedwheel being provided with a plurality of radially disposed teeth at the front and rear end thereof to receive cartridges, 2. slot being provided between each of said teeth on the rear end of said feedwheel, and a cartridge belt link comprising open rings adapted to hold a cartridge, and a T-shaped tab on each end of said rings engageable with said slot whereby said link is held in position relative to said feedwheel when the bolt is extracting a cartridge therefrom.

9. In a firearm having a receiver and a bolt reciprocably mounted therein, a feedwheel rotatably mounted in the receiver, said feedwheel being provided with a plurality of radially disposed teeth at the front and rear end thereof to receive cartridges having an extractor groove, a rearwardly downwardly inclined slot relative to the longitudinal axis being provided between each of said teeth on the rear end of said feedwheel, and a disintegrating cartridge belt link comprising a pair of spaced apart open rings coaxially aligned with a single open ring adjacent and attached thereto, and a substantially T-shaped tab on said rearmost ring pivotally engageable with said slot whereby said link is held in position relative to said feedwheel when the bolt is obliquely extracting a cartridge therefrom.

f 10. The combination defined in claim 9 wherein the opening in said rings is angularly offset with respect to the vertical axis of said rings whereby the cartridge in said link is aligned in. said feedwheel.

11. Th combination defined in claim 9 wherein said T-shaped tab comprises a narrow neck portion engageable with said slot and a head portion having a forward surface extending from each side of said neck portion engageable with the rear surface of adjacent teeth relative to said slot whereby said link is held obliquely during the extraction of a cartridge therefrom.

12. lhe combination defined in claim 9 and detent means on said tab engageable with the extractor groove of the cartridge whereby the cartridge is yieldingly positioned within said link.

CLARENCE E. SIMPSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 448,841 Ritter Mar. 24, 1891 577,485 Maxim Feb. 23, 1897 2,022,685 Moore Dec. 3, 1935 2,173,837 GOrtOn Sept. 26, 1939 2,426,527 Sanford et al. Aug. 26, 1947 2,453,786 Dixon Nov. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 440,005 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1935 

